BrainScale.net - Makes you smarter!

Dual N-Back - Brain Training Online

Memory Span — how many can you hold in mind?

A fast, adaptive digit and letter span test. Free, in your browser, no signup to start.

Start training — it's free

See how it works

One symbol appears at a time. Once the sequence ends, type it back — forward, backward, or sorted.

How it works

Symbols appear one by one

Digits or letters flash on screen one at a time, building a sequence.

Type back the sequence

Once the sequence ends, type the symbols back — order depends on the mode.

Difficulty adapts

Recall a set well and the sequence grows one item longer; struggle and it eases back.

Six span modes, one adaptive level

Digit Span

Digit Reverse

Digit Sorted

Letter Span

Letter Reverse

Letter Sorted

Train digits or letters, in forward order, reverse order, or sorted order — six modes on the same adaptive engine.

Part of the BrainScale training suite, trained by people in 120+ countries since 2011.

What is Memory Span training?

Memory Span is a classic short-term memory task: a sequence of digits or letters appears one item at a time, and you recall the whole sequence once it's done. It's the same family of test as the digit span used in cognitive assessments, adapted here for repeatable daily training.

How the exercise works

Each round shows a sequence whose length equals your current level — one symbol at a time
Depending on the mode, you recall the symbols in the order shown, in reverse order, or sorted
Digit modes use single digits 0–9; letter modes use random letters A–Z
A set is a few rounds at the same level; clear it well and the level rises by one item
Miss several rounds in a row and the level eases back down automatically

Why train short-term memory?

Builds short-term memory capacity — the number of items you can hold in mind at once
Reverse and sorted modes add a layer of mental manipulation on top of plain recall
A well-established measure in cognitive research, useful here as a repeatable training metric
Adapts automatically so every session stays at the edge of your current capacity

Short, frequent sessions beat occasional long ones — consistency is what moves your level.

Who it's for

Anyone curious how many digits or letters they can actually hold in mind
Students and professionals who rely on short-term recall under pressure
People who want a quick, focused daily brain workout
Anyone building a daily training habit — pair it with streaks

Frequently asked questions

What is the Memory Span exercise?

Memory Span is a short-term memory task on BrainScale. A sequence of digits or letters appears one item at a time, and once it ends you recall the whole sequence — forward, backward, or sorted, depending on the mode. It measures and trains how much information you can hold in mind at once.

Is Memory Span free to play?

Yes. Memory Span is free to play with no signup required to start. Creating a free account adds progress tracking and streaks; a premium plan removes free-tier session limits.

What do Digit Span and Letter Span mean?

Digit Span uses single digits 0–9 and Letter Span uses random letters A–Z as the items in the sequence. Both come in three recall modes: forward (same order), reverse (backward order), and sorted (ascending order), for six modes in total.

How does the difficulty level adapt?

Your level sets the sequence length. Recall a set of rounds accurately enough and the level rises, adding one more item to the sequence. Fall below the accuracy threshold across several rounds in a row and the level eases back down, so the exercise stays at the edge of your current span.

How is Memory Span different from Corsi Block Tapping?

Memory Span tests verbal and numeric short-term memory — digits and letters. Corsi Block Tapping tests the visuospatial equivalent — remembering the order of positions on a screen instead of symbols. Training both gives a fuller picture of your short-term memory.

Start training — it's free